In Certified Cloud Practitioner exam, 26% of the exam is on “Cloud Concepts.”  This article will introduce you to some important basic features to know about cloud computing and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud Computing is the on-demand delivery of compute, database, storage, application, and other IT resources. Basically, if you can imagine the “legacy” (old school) physical data centers hosting your company’s IT resources, it’s that, except “on the cloud” (accessed via the internet).

They are services provided through a cloud-service platform via the internet, and employs a pay-as-you-go pricing model.  Some examples of major Cloud services are Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure.

5 Pillars of Well-Architected Framework

AWS developed the 5 Pillars of Well-Architected Framework to help Cloud Architects build the most secure, fault-resilient, efficient, and high-performing IT infrastructure possible. You can consider it the Best Practice framework of your Cloud Infrastructure.

• Cost Optimization: avoiding unnecessary costs
• Reliability: ability to prevent and quickly recover from operational failures
• Operational Excellence: daily system operations, monitoring, and improvements
• Performance Efficiency:  using computing resources efficiently
• Security: protect information and systems

6 Advantages of Cloud Computing

AWS boasts 6 major advantages in their Whitepaper.

• Trade capital expense for variable expense: you pay only when and what you consume
• Benefit from massive economics of scale: you’ll never be able to buy as much as Amazon
• Stop guessing about capacity: access as much or as little capacity as you need with flexible scaling
• Increase speed and agility: resources can be deployed or managed in minutes
• Stop spending money running and maintaining data centers: no more physical infrastructures to maintain
• Go global in minutes: deploy application in multiple regions around the world with few clicks

3 Types of Cloud Computing

There are 3 types of “___ as a Service” cloud computing models.

• Software as a Service (Saas): completed product ran and managed by service provider (ie: Gmail)
• Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas): building blocks for cloud IT (ie: Physical Server)
• Platform as a Service (Paas): deploy and manage applications without worrying about hardware infrastructure (ie: Godaddy)

3 Types of Cloud Computing Deployments

There are 3 types of cloud infrastructure deployments: Cloud, Hybrid, and On-Prem.

• Public Cloud: Fully deployed on the cloud
• Hybrid Cloud: Mix of public and private
• Private/On-Premises Cloud: Manage in your own datacenter

Exam Tips

Want some mnemonics to help you remember components of Cloud Computing?  Take a look at the AWS Mnemonics post!

Want more in-depth introduction to Cloud Computing? Check out our Intro to AWS for Newbies eBook! I also have “Introduction to AWS for Non-Engineers” video courses created in partnership with LinkedIn Learning!

Continue on to learn about the most basic certification exam for AWS: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam.